3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
We give thanks to God. He praises the faith and love of the Colossians, that it may encourage them the more to alacrity and constancy of perseverance. Farther, by shewing that he has a persuasion of this kind respecting them, he procures their friendly regards, that they may be the more favourably inclined and teachable for receiving his doctrine. We must always take notice that he makes use of thanksgiving in place of congratulation, by which he teaches us, that in all our joys we must readily call to remembrance the goodness of God, inasmuch as everything that is pleasant and agreeable to us is a kindness conferred by him. Besides, he admonishes us, by his example, to acknowledge with gratitude not merely those things which the Lord confers upon us, but also those things which he confers upon others. But for what things does he give thanks to the Lord? For the faith and love of the Colossians. He acknowledges, therefore, that both are conferred by God: otherwise the gratitude were pretended. And what have we otherwise than through his liberality? If, however, even the smallest favors come to us from that source, how much more ought this same acknowledgment to be made in reference to those two gifts, in which the entire sum of our excellence consists? To the God and Father. [1] Understand the expression thus -- To God who is the Father of Christ. For it is not lawful for us to acknowledge any other God than him who has manifested himself to us in his Son. And this is the only key for opening the door to us, if we are desirous to have access to the true God. For on this account, also, is he a Father to us, because he has embraced us in his only begotten Son, and in him also sets forth his paternal favor for our contemplation. Always for you, Some explain it thus -- We give thanks to God always for you, that is, continually. Others explain it to mean -- Praying always for you. It may also be interpreted in this way, "Whenever we pray for you, we at the same time give thanks to God;" and this is the simple meaning, "We give thanks to God, and we at the same time pray." By this he intimates, that the condition of believers is never in this world perfect, so as not to have, invariably, something wanting. For even the man who has begun admirably well, may fall short in a hundred instances every day; and we must ever be making progress while we are as yet on the way. Let us therefore bear in mind that we must rejoice in the favors that we have already received, and give thanks to God for them in such a manner, as to seek at the same time from him perseverance and advancement.
1 - "A Dieu qui est le Pere. Il y auroit mot a mot, A Dieu et Pere;" -- "To God who is the Father. It were literally, To God and Father."
We give thanks to God - See the notes at the parallel place in Ephesians 1:15-16.
Praying always for you - See the Romans 1:9, note; Ephesians 1:16, note; compare 1-Thessalonians 1:2.
We give thanks to God - Who is the author of all good; and from whom the grace, which has produced your conversion, has sprung by his mission of Christ Jesus. See the note on Ephesians 1:15, Ephesians 1:16 (note).
(1) We give thanks to God and the (c) Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
(1) He commends the doctrine that was delivered to them by Epaphras, and their readiness in receiving it.
(c) We cannot otherwise think of God to be our salvation, except that he is Christ's Father, in whom we are adopted.
We give thanks to God,.... Meaning himself and Timothy. This is the beginning of the epistle, which is introduced with a thanksgiving to God; to whom praise and thankfulness are always due as a Creator and preserver, as the author of all good things, as the Father of mercies, temporal and spiritual, and as the covenant God and Father of his people through Christ: wherefore it follows,
and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; the sense of which either is, that God the Father, who is the object of praise and thanksgiving, is both the God of Christ, and the Father of Christ, the God of Christ, as Christ is man, and the Father of Christ, as Christ is God; or the latter is exegetical of the former, and may be rendered thus, "God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ": and very properly are thanks given to him under this character, because it is as he is the Father of Christ that he blesses his people with all spiritual blessings; and because he is their God, as well as his God; and their Father, as well as his Father, though in a different sense, his by nature, theirs by adoption. Moreover, as all their blessings come from God, as the Father of Christ, and through Christ, and for his sake, so it is very proper that thanks should be returned unto him under that character; and through Christ, by whom alone such sacrifices of praise are acceptable to God: it is added,
praying always for you; which, as it is expressive of the constant discharge of the duty of prayer, and the continual remembrance of these saints in it, and shows the affection the apostle had for them; so it points out the time when, and the way and manner in which Paul and Timothy gave thanks to God on account of them; it was when they were at the throne of grace, and in their frequent prayers to God; thankfulness for mercies received, both by ourselves and others, being a branch of the duty of prayer.
Thanksgiving for the "faith, hope, and love" of the Colossians. So in the twin Epistle sent at the same time and by the same bearer, Tychicus (Ephesians 1:15-16).
We--I and Timothy.
and the Father--So some of the oldest manuscripts read. But others better omit the "and," which probably crept in from Ephesians 1:3.
praying always for you--with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). See Colossians 1:4.
We. Both Paul and Timothy.
Give thanks. When offerings prayers in behalf of the Colossians, as he was wont to do for all the churches under his care, he had grounds for thanks.
Since we heard of your faith . . . and love. He probably heard through Epaphras, a member at Colosse (Colossians 1:7 and Colossians 4:12), who was at that time with him in Rome.
For the hope. He gives thanks for their hope of heaven.
Laid up. This suggests that they have a treasure laid up in heaven which they hope to use. Their treasure is above.
Whereof ye heard before. They heard of this hope when the gospel was preached to them.
Which is come to you. The gospel had come to them, being now spread abroad in all the world. That is not to be taken literally, but affirms the wide diffusion of the gospel.
Bringeth forth fruit. It always bears fruit in holy lives wherever received.
As ye also learned of Epaphras. "Also" in Common Version is not found in the best MSS. They had learned of the gospel, its truth, its hope, and fruit from Epaphras, who probably planted the church under Paul's direction. Where he was converted we are not informed, but possibly at Ephesus, the capital of the province, during Paul's stay of three years there. Some have held that he is the same as the Epaphroditus of Philippians 2:25; Philippians 4:18, but this is not probable. He is highly commended here and in Colossians 4:12, and in the latter place is identified with the Colossian church.
Who also declared to us. He was at the date of the letter attending the apostle at Rome.
We give thanks - There is a near resemblance between this epistle, and those to the Ephesians and Philippians.
*More commentary available at chapter level.